Transportational
by Jonathan R
Summary: The Kids Next Door get challenged to a truck race by a group of rogue, truck-driving teens. Who will win? And who is this mysterious person known as A.J.? Read and find out!
1. The Deal

Operation: TRANSPORTATIONAL

(The Reason Anyone Now Sees Peculiar Outrageous Race Trucks Around Town Is Only Now Answered Lightly)…my first KND fic.

Chapter 1 of 2: The Deal

Late one night, the five members of the Kids Next Door organization were asleep in their treehouse stronghold.  Moonlight leaked through the windows of each kid's custom-decorated room.  Not a sound was heard, except for each kid's snoring.

Then, far off, a truck engine could be heard.  It slowly got louder and louder.  Then a second engine could be heard, then a third!  A roar of engines was increasing in volume with every passing second.

A small, African-American girl, codename "Number Five", was the first to wake up.  Her eyes observed her dimly lit bedroom.  She immediately heard the engines outside her bedroom.  

"Huh?" uttered Number Five, as she sat up in bed.  Her entire room was beginning to vibrate from the noise.  "Whoa!" she cried as she fell out of her bed.

Down the hall, a boy with blonde bangs and an Australian accent sat up in bed.  He glanced up at his "Numbah 4" license plate hanging above his bed.  It was shaking back and forth, and then it suddenly fell and landed on his head.

"OW!  What the…?" muttered Number Four, who looked around his room and saw things falling off his shelves.  His boxing gloves, mouthpieces and books were tumbling into his own personal boxing ring.  Even his punching bag was swinging to and fro.  To top it all off, the truck engines were still getting louder.

Nearby, a little Asian girl was shaken awake by the oncoming commotion outside.  Number Three tried to sit up, but while she was asleep, she had gotten tangled up in her oversized sweater.  She got herself untangled and fell abruptly into a giant rainbow monkey doll.  She looked around and saw stuffed animals falling all around her.  

"What's going on?!" she cried.  But the roar of the engines outside was too loud for Number Three to hear herself.

Elsewhere, Number Two sat up in bed.  The pudgy boy grabbed his goggles and put them on.  He could see and feel everything vibrating and he could hear incredibly loud truck engines from outside.

"Hmmm," said Number Two.  "Four by fours, stick shifts, monster trucks?  Who could be driving those things at this hour?"

Number One, in the next room, was thinking the same thing.  A Latino boy with a head shaped a lot like Arnold from "Hey Arnold" was looking out his bedroom window.  Racing down the road in front of the treehouse was a convoy of large trucks.  Pickups, SUVs, Baja trucks, and other 4x4s were zooming down the road only feet away from the treehouse.  Some of the trucks had really outlandish features, like custom paneling, bright paint jobs, and oversized spoilers and exhausts.  Their engines were loud enough to wake the dead, yet Number One noticed that no other neighbors were awake at this hour.  (This was no surprise.  Fans of the show may have noticed that whenever things happened at the treehouse during the night, there were no neighbors around to notice.  The neighborhood must have some heavy sleepers!)

Eventually, the line of trucks ended, and their engines died away in the distance.  Before Number One turned around, he noticed a small, old pickup truck sputtering down the road.  The engine sounded ancient and rundown.  A young man's head popped out of the side window and yelled, "Wait, you guys!  Come back!  Wait for me!"  The beat-up truck soon puttered off out of sight. 

The next morning, after a big breakfast, the Kids Next Door sat around a projector screen in the living room.  Number One was talking as he worked the projector.

"I'm sure you all know about the events of last night," he said.

"I'll say," said Number Five.  "I couldn't sleep a wink after all that racket."

"I'd sure like to like meet the creeps who caused all that," muttered Number Four.

"Well, fortunately," said Number One, who clicked the projector switch.  "Surveillance cameras caught these images last light of what appears to be a new fad known as illegal street truck racing.  Slower and bulkier than cars, but just as stylish."

The photo stills displayed custom trucks zooming down the road at a moderate speed.  

"The people inside," continued Number One, who stopped at a photo of a guy driving a truck.  "…appear to be high school and college drop outs who don't have enough money to buy and alter sports cars, so they use trucks instead."

"Whoa," said Number Four as he saw a picture of a huge monster truck rolling down the street.  "Who's THAT guy?"

Number One cleared his throat.  "That, apparently, is the ring leader of this group of drivers.   See how his truck leads the pack?"

"Wow!" said Number Two.  "Can you imagine the tire swings we could use with those?  I wish I had a truck like that dude!"  A thought bubble appeared over Number 2's head.  It showed Number 2 driving a monster truck and running over cars and trash cans and things.

Number One snapped him out of it.  "Uh, let me remind you, Number Two, that this 'dude' is responsible for making us fall out of our beds in the middle of the night just to bug us."

"Yeah, but at least I landed on a rainbow monkey," squeaked Number Three.

"Yes, well," continued Number One.  "The computer predicts there is a fifty-fifty chance the truckers will return tonight, so I suggest we stay awake tonight and see if they come."

So, that night, the five kids stood on the sidewalk with flashlights and a bullhorn.  

"Y'know," yawned Number One.  "Maybe it would've been a good idea to take a few naps during the day."

"What time is it?" asked Number Three.

"Uh…" said Number Five as she looked at her watch.  "About one-thirty." 

"Man!" uttered Number Four.  "When are those cruddy drivers gonna get here?"

"Oh, man, I can't wait!" said Number Two.  All day he had been thinking about those trucks and their decorated hubcaps and license plates.  They were unlike anything he had ever seen.  Designing stuff like that would be a mechanic's dream come true, and Number Two was already brighter than the average mechanic.

"Yeah, I can't wait either," muttered Number Four.  "I can't wait to give them a piece of my mind for wrecking my room with their motors and their…"

"Ssshhh," said Number One.  "Listen."

A very faint rumble could be heard.  It sounded like thunder, but it also sounded man-made.  A cloud of dust could be seen down the road.  Within moments, dark vehicles roared over the hill far away and traveled down the road at a high speed. 

"Here they come," said Number One.  He turned on the bullhorn in his hand.

The huge monster truck was in the lead.  The other race trucks wisely stayed behind it.  The loud engines were beginning to vibrate their nearby surroundings.  All the kids put their hands to their ears as the monster truck came closer and closer.

When it was just about to pass them, Number One grabbed the bullhorn and shouted, "Hold it right there, mister!  We'd like to have a word with you!"

With a screech of the tires, the monster truck stopped.  All the other trucks slammed on their brakes too.

Before any of the kids could say anything, the driver's door opened partway, and a boot kicked out a rope ladder that unrolled to the ground.  A figure climbed down the ladder between the front and rear tires.  The driver turned around and walked up to the five kids.  The Kids Next Door observed a tall, thin person, about 18 years old, wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses, jeans, boots, and a long-sleeve shirt. 

"Who are you?" asked Number One.  He noticed some of the other truck drivers getting out of their vehicles and walking over to the monster truck driver.

"My name's A.J.," said the monster truck driver, in a voice that sounded a lot like Michael Jackson.  "Looks like you kids are up a little bit past your bedtime, hmm?"  A.J. and the other drivers snickered.

Ignoring the remark, Number One took off his shades and glared at A.J.  "We are the Kids Next Door and we have a few complaints to say about you."

"Oh?" responded A.J., who was slightly amused.

"Yeah," blurted Number Four.  "Just how long do you and your other drivers plan on driving by this place at night?"

A fellow driver came up behind A.J.  "We like this route, for your information."

"Yep," agreed A.J.  "Wide lanes, big sidewalks, double-yellow line…this road is just perfect for me and the gang to go cruising on."

"Yeah," muttered Number Five.  "And for waking us up in the middle of the night!"

"Aww," mocked A.J.  "Did we wake the little kiddies from their nappie-wappies?"  A.J. and the other drivers laughed.

"Hey!  That's not nice!" exclaimed Number Three.  

"Agreed," said Number One.  He saw Number Four take an angry step towards A.J., so Number One placed his hand on Number Four's shoulder to stop him.

"So," continued Number One.  "All you do is drive around all night?"

"And race," said A.J.  All of the other drivers cheered in agreement.  "All of us race our trucks in different parts of the city, and right now this spot is our current favorite."

"Yeah, we race all the time," said a small voice to the side.  Everyone turned and saw a small, slightly nerdy teen running up to the group.  He was about A.J.'s age and wore a T-shirt, pants, and tennis shoes.  Number One recognized the guy as the one who drove the old, run-down pickup truck last night.

"Aw, shuddup, Joey," snapped A.J.  "Like you'll ever win anyone of our races.  I don't see why you're even here."

"I…I just wanna race."

"What, in that old jalopy you call a truck?  Ha!" laughed A.J.  "Why don't you just stay at home where you belong?"

"Look!" interrupted Number Five, who readjusted her cap.  "All we're asking is that you stop driving your trucks down our street!"

"Well, too bad," argued A.J.  "We can drive on any street we want, and we just happen to like yours the best."

Before the argument got too heated, Number One suddenly had an idea.  "What if we make you a deal?"

"A deal?" questioned A.J.  "What kind of a deal?"

Number One explained.  "The five of us will…"

"Five?" asked A.J.  

Number One looked around and only saw four kids in front of A.J., including himself.  "Where's Number Two?"

"Hey guys!" shouted Number Two.  He was crouched down next to a vehicle that had painted flames on the hood and sides.  "Check out the paint job on this El Camino!"

"Number Two, will you get over here?!" shouted Number One.  Once Number Two was back with his friends, Number One continued where he left off.  "Anyway, my idea is that the five of us will challenge you to a truck race.  If you win, you get to stay on this street and race on it.  But if we win, you all go find somewhere else to race.  So, do we have a deal?"

A.J. thought for a moment.  Were these kids serious?  A.J. took another look at them.  Yes, they looked very serious.

"Alright, it's a deal."  A.J. shook Number One's hand.  "We'll start right here at midnight tomorrow."

"Actually," interrupted Joey.  "Since it's about two o'clock in the morning right now, it should be midnight 'tonight'.  And don't you think you're being a little too hard on them?  I mean, they're a little young to be driving."

A.J. turned to the Kids Next Door.  "Could you excuse us for a moment?"  A.J. abruptly dragged Joey off to the side.  The two of them argued for a few minutes.  Finally, A.J. angrily pointed to Joey's truck.  Hanging his head, Joey slowly walked back to his truck.

"What happened?" whispered Number Three.

"I think A.J. just kicked him out of the group," answered Number One.

A.J. walked back to the kids.  "Sorry about that.  Um, you all can drive, right?"

"Right," answered the kids.

"And you all have a truck, right?"

"We certainly will," answered Number Two.

"Okay.  We'll see you all in about twenty-two hours."  A.J. walked back to rope ladder.  "I can't wait to see what your little go-kart will look like."  A.J. climbed the ladder as her laughed.  Everyone turned on their engines and drove off down the street…except for Joey, who made a U-turn and drove down the road in the other direction.

"Okay, Kids Next Door," announced Number One.  "I suggest we get some sleep.  Tomorrow, we've got a truck to build."


	2. The Race

Chapter 2 of 2: The Race

And build a truck they did.

After a late breakfast, the kids gathered all the necessary materials.  By lunchtime, a huge pile of two-by-fours, metal, and glass lay on the grass in front of the treehouse.  Still, they only had about half of the needed supplies.  The kids had to take a trip to a nearby junkyard to find everything else.

The kids searched the junkyard for an existing truck they could use.  There were many smashed cars and trucks everywhere, but the Kids Next Door were unimpressed by them and needed to locate just the right kind of vehicle.

The junkyard was a hazardous place to search.  The tall piles of garbage teetered dangerously above the kids' heads.  Once, when Number Four was yelling at Number Three to pull out a hubcap from a tower of rubble, Number Five was pulling out a piece of wood from a pile of trash directly behind Number Four.  Needless to say, once Number Five pulled out the wood, the tower fell right on Number Four.

"Thanks, Number Five!" said Number Three.

Eventually, Number One shouted, "Everyone!  Come here quick!"  All the kids ran to Number One and gasped at what he was looking at.  "I think we've found our truck."

Sitting in a corner of the junkyard was a broken down dump truck.  To the kids, it looked almost as big as A.J.'s monster truck!  It was in bad condition, of course.  Flat tires, broken glass, etc.  

"This doesn't look too bad," said Number Two.  He walked up to the truck and whispered, "I've got plans for you."

So, with a little effort and a rented crane (don't ask), the Kids Next Door brought the truck to their treehouse.  It was already 1:30 PM, and they needed to get to work.  

Hours went by.  The kids took to the truck like a kid takes to Legos.  All the parts were cleaned and reworked.  The tires were filled and the working parts we revamped.  Anything that was found broken was fixed or replaced.  Number Two worked the hardest, since he wanted to make this truck better than any of the trucks they were going to race tonight.

The engine was the area that needed the most work.  That was probably the reason it got thrown out in the first place.  Number Two was surprised to find that the cause was fairly simple.  Debris had clogged up the interior of the engine, so it was a simple matter of vacuuming the garbage out.  

It was during dinnertime that Number One realized that the dump bucket would slow the truck down.  So they tossed it out and made one out of wood, complete with extra seats and gun turrets.  ("You never know," Number Four had said.)  Finally, as darkness fell, the custom work began.  Shiny hubcaps that kept revolving after the truck stopped were installed.  Extra headlights and spoilers were attached to the truck as well.  Thirty minutes before midnight, the paint job was done.  Flames licked the sides of the truck and some bunnies and rainbows decorated the rear bumper (they were Number Three's idea.) 

Finally, at 11:34 PM, the Kids Next Door Race Truck was finally complete.  Number Two stepped back with watery eyes as he marveled at his and his friends' work.  The custom hubcaps and paint job were what really made the vehicle stand out.  The converted dump truck was given the name G.O.K.A.R.T. (Genius-Operated, Kid-Approved Race Truck.)  Naturally, Number One would do the driving as Number Two worked the foot pedals.  The rest of the Kids sat in the wooden dump bucket.

Number One sat in the driver's seat and reached for the key in his pocket.  The key had fortunately been left in the glove compartment by its original owner.  Number Two put in the key and turned it.  Nothing happened.  

"Oh, no!" shouted Number Two down by the pedals.  "We forgot about fuel!"

Luckily, there was a gas station four blocks away.  Numbers Three, Four, and Five walked down to the station, filled up a red fuel can, and walked back.  When Number One asked what fuel it was, they said it was regular unleaded.

"No!" exclaimed Number Two.  "This truck has a diesel engine!  We need diesel fuel!"

So, the three kids took another can and walked back to the gas station.  As they were gone, Number Two asked Number One about the can with the unleaded fuel.

"Just…put it behind those bushes.  We'll deal with it after the race."  Number Two walked over, placed the fuel can under the bushes, and walked back the Number One.  (You're gonna see that fuel can again later.)

"Alright," groaned Number Four, who helped carry the heavy fuel can with Numbers Three and Five.  "We got your cruddy diesel fuel."

"Hey, listen!" said Number Five.  Off in the distance, the familiar rumbling sound could be heard.  

"They're coming," said Number One.  "Quick, I want you three to get the fuel into the truck while Number Two and I greet them."  With that, Numbers One and Two walked to the sidewalk as the truck-shaped silhouettes appeared over the hill.  The two kids shielded their eyes from the oncoming headlights.  A.J.'s monster truck pulled up and stopped in front of them.  Behind it, the other trucks stopped as well.

A.J. climbed down the ladder and walked up to Number One and Number Two.  "You two kids ready?" asked A.J. in that soft cool voice.

A.J.'s answer was a glare of headlights and a loud engine roar coming from behind the treehouse.  Much to Number One and Two's delight, the GOKART rumbled past the treehouse and stopped on the front lawn.

"Whoa," mumbled A.J.  The other drivers whistled and murmured to themselves as they all gawked at the oversized vehicle.  "I'm impressed.  You kids got a lot of talent with trucks, but let's see if you can drive it."  A.J. brought out a map.  "Here's the racetrack."

The Kids Next Door walked over and looked at the map as A.J. kept talking.  "We start here at the treehouse, go five blocks down the road and turn left.  Go three blocks and then turn left again.  Now, you go ten blocks before turning left again, go three blocks and go left one more time.  It's basically an oval raceway with ninety-degree turns.  The first one who completes the track three times and crosses the finish line wins the race.  Don't worry, my boys and I have marked the course so that you don't use shortcuts or get lost."

"We got it," said Number One.

"Prepared to get your butts kicked then?" joked A.J.

"Only if we don't kick yours first," retorted Number Four.

"Okay, let's race," said A.J. with finality.  "Just make sure you watch out for obstacles."

"What did he mean by that?" Number Three asked Number One as they made their way back to their truck.

"With our luck, A.J.'s probably rigged the track," sighed Number One.  He turned to his friends.  "So I want everyone to keep an eye out for any unusual things on the track that might be a trap for us, got it?"

"Got it," answered his friends.

"Okay, Kids Next Door," announced Number One.  "Let's suit up!"

Ten minutes later, A.J.'s monster truck and the Kids Next Door's GOKART were lined up on the start/finish line.  A.J. was wearing a brightly-colored helmet and race suit.  The Kids Next Door also wore helmets and suits.  Number One sat at the wheel as Number Two sat in front of the pedals.  Numbers Four and Five were at the gun turrets on either side of the dump bucket and Number Three was guarding the rear.

Both vehicles' engines were revved up and ready to go.  One of A.J.'s friends stood half a block away with a bright flag.  The person was going to raise the flag up in the air, and when it came down, the trucks would start.  

Number Two glared at A.J. as he flipped down his visor.  All the helmets had radio communications, so everyone heard Number One shout, "Here goes nothing."

However, before the flag person lifted the flag into the air, there was a loud honk from behind.  A.J. and the Kids Next Door looked in their rearview mirrors and were shocked to see Joey's beat-up jalopy coming over the hill and stopping at the line between the vehicles.  His truck was dwarfed by the size of his competitors. 

"Hey!" shouted A.J. from the driver window in a loud voice.  "What the heck are you doing here?!"

"If you all won't let me race with you," shouted Joey.  "Then I'm gonna race by myself!"

"But whose team are you on?!" shouted Number Four.

"I am my own team!" answered Joey.

"Let the guy race," said one of A.J.'s friends in the helmet's microphone.  "His truck is so worn out, he won't even make it across the finish line."  Number One said the exact same thing to Number Two.

Just then, the flagman raised the flag into the air.  All three truck engines revved up, but you could only hear the monster truck and the dump truck's engines.

Then, quick as a flash, the flagman dropped the flag and ran to the sidewalk as a roar of engines erupted in front of him.  The monster truck and the dump truck roared off the mark, as Joey's truck sputtered off after them.

The monster truck had quicker acceleration, so it zoomed ahead of the dump truck.  But when they came to the first turn, the Kids saw that A.J.'s truck had to slow down in order to make the turn, due to its higher center of gravity.  That gave the Kids a considerable lead by the time they turned into the back straightaway.

This was the tricky part.  Ten blocks with cross traffic at nearly every intersection, parked cars, and streetlights.  One wrong move and a bunch of personal and local property would be destroyed.

As the monster truck pulled alongside the dump truck, A.J. looked at Number One through the window and waved.  Number One smirked at A.J.'s reflective helmet and suddenly jerked the wheel hard in A.J.'s direction.  There was a brief screech as the tires of the two trucks made contact.  Annoyed now, A.J. slammed the accelerator pedal and pulled ahead.

Number One nudged Number Two's right shoulder with his foot, telling him to push the accelerator pedal harder.  If he wanted to brake, Number One would nudge his friend's left shoulder.

As the next turn came into view, A.J. said into the helmet, "Okay, crew.  Activate 'operation uproot'."

"What?" asked the voice on the other end.

A.J. sighed.  "Knock over the tree, you jerk."

Two blocks away from turn three, Number One was trying to figure out which side of the monster truck he would pass on, when Number Five shouted, "Number One!  Tree dead ahead!"

Number One saw it.  A tall, thick oak tree was falling onto the road…and right after the monster truck passed it!  He could see a group of teens pushing the tree into the road.  The tree, which was obviously cut beforehand, landed with a crash on the road.

Number One turned hard as the truck swerved out of the way.  The dump truck squeezed between the tree and the sidewalk, taking small branches and leaves with it.

"They're trying to cut us off!" shouted Number One.  "Well, two can play that game."

While taking turn three wide, A.J. looked back and was surprised to see the dump truck taking the turn's apex and passing A.J.'s truck.  

"Drat, I knew the tree couldn't stop them," muttered A.J.  "I was…huh?"

At that moment, the GOKART pulled in front of A.J.'s truck.  Numbers 3, 4, and 5 began dumping a large container of motor oil onto the track as they approached turn four.  A.J. slammed on the breaks as his truck began sliding.  The Kids Next Door drove down the straightaway as A.J.'s truck jumped the corner of the gas station that was built there and drove down the road.

The Kids Next Door finished lap one first, then A.J., then Joey, who was still struggling to keep up.

Before the Kids Next Door reached turn one of lap two, Number Three shouted, "Look out!"  Number One noticed a cat crossing the street ahead.  Number One slammed on the brakes and came to a screeching stop as the cat ran off.  A.J. took the lead all the way into turn two.  By then, they were neck and neck again.

But not for long.  Five blocks later, A.J. slammed on the brakes again.  A sewer worker had opened a manhole on the street and A.J. had to slam on the brakes in order to swerve past him.  Now the Kids Next Door were in the lead.

Meanwhile, Mr. Parker was pulling up to a red light nearby.  He was just about to make a call on his cell phone, when he heard a 'VROOM' and saw the custom dump truck speed through the street in front of him, just barely making it past the yellow light.  Mr. Parker now had the green so he proceeded.  He glanced out his window and said, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!!"

A.J.'s front tires crashed into Mr. Parker's car and pushed it about twenty feet.  Then the whole truck ran right over it.  The car was instantly smashed, but Mr. Parker managed to crawl away with only minor injuries.  Joey also drove past and screamed, "Sorry about that!"

When the tree came into view, the kids squeezed between the tree and sidewalk again.  But they noticed a ramp had been placed in front of the fallen plant.  Of course, A.J. used it to jump over the tree.  The kids in the dump bucket watched in awe as the truck flew through the air and landed hard on the asphalt next to them.

"Old lady!!!" shouted Number Five.  

"Yeah, that's telling him!" yelled Number Four.

"No!" shouted Number Five.  She pointed up ahead.  "Old lady!!!"

Sure enough, a little old lady was crossing the street up ahead.  Number One slammed on the brakes as A.J. slammed on the gas.  A.J. zoomed past the lady so close to her walker that the resulting winds blew her around until she was walking back in the direction from which she came!  The Kids had to wait patiently for the lady to return to the sidewalk.  As soon as Joey passed them, the Kids' truck gunned it, and they passed Joey on turn three.  All three trucks drove slowly over the oil spill on turn four (oil spilled in front of a gas station…a recipe for disaster.)  

When Lap Two was complete, A.J. crossed first, then the Kids Next Door, then Joey.

"One more lap to go!" announced Number One.  His response was an explosion that erupted right next to the truck.

"What the..?"

All the Kids turned and saw a gun mounted on the roof of A.J.'s monster truck.  It was firing at them!

"Kids Next Door!" shouted Number One.  "To the gun turrets!"  The truck slowed down.  "No, not you, Number Two, you still have to work the pedals!"

So began a short lived gun battle that lasted all the way to the halfway mark of the back straightaway.  Nobody's aim was very good.  The explosions blew up traffic lights, mailboxes, trees, shrubs, everything but houses and the trucks.  And their driving skills weren't super either.  Since the race began, A.J. had sideswiped three parked cars, ran over Mr. Parker's car, and took out five traffic lights due to the truck's height.  The Kids Next Door sideswiped four parked cars, rear-ended two cars, and ran over a stop sign.

Once again, the tree was coming into view again, and A.J. once again jumped over it.  But this time, when A.J. landed, the back axel was bent in the process.  A.J. came to a stop as he discovered that the truck was veering to the left.  A.J. started again, but not before the GOKART rushed by.  The Kids Next Door sent Mr. Parker's car flying onto the sidewalk and rounded the third turn.

A.J. was getting worried.  The Kids Next Door were still ahead and this was the last lap.  "I'll have to pass them by going through the gas station," thought A.J.  "It's my only hope."

As turn four started coming up, Numbers Four and Five watched A.J. behind them.

"That guy's never gonna catch us," said Number Four.

"Yeah, that guy's good, but he ain't that good, right Number Three?"

When Number Three didn't answer, the two kids turned and went, "Huh?"  

Number Three was trying to start a barbeque grill right in the middle of the dump bucket.  She was wearing an apron and a chef's hat and was clicking the grill lighter over and over.

"Number Three, what the heck are you doing?" shouted Number Four over the roar of the engine.

"I'm making a victowy bawbeque!" said Number Three.

"We haven't won yet!" yelled Number Five.

"Yeah!" answered Number Four.  "And gimme that lighter.  You know playing with fire is dangerous!"

With that, Number Four grabbed the grill lighter and tossed it over the side just as they were rounding turn four.  In slow motion, the lighter toppled end over end and then it broke apart on the road…right in the puddle of motor oil!  The lighter fluid ignited, causing a mass of small flames on the road.  The GOKART barely managed to get away in time.  The Kids Next Door looked back at the scene and gasped.  The flames were heading straight for the gas station…and A.J. was just about to drive through it!

As A.J. drove through the station, the flames could be seen out the passenger window.  "Uh-oh," thought A.J.  "I hope the flames don't reach the gas tank or I'm-…"

The resulting explosion was enormous and loud.  The entire corner was engulfed in a bright, round ball of flames that rose into the air like a monster waking up from his lair.  A.J.'s truck flew forward, tilting onto its nose, until it hit the ground and flipped forward onto it's roof.  Joey's truck took the corner and drove right on the edge of the blast and immediately gunned the gas pedal for all it was worth.

The Kids Next Door looked back at the blast with amazement.  Even Number One and Two got up and looked at the explosion.  It wasn't until the dump truck wandered onto the sidewalk that Numbers One and Two realized they were supposed to be driving!  The kids raced back to their positions as the truck's left tire ran over a front lawn and into a bush…the same bush that was hiding the gasoline can that was mentioned earlier.

When the truck hit the fuel can, the second explosion occurred.  The entire dump truck made a three-quarter barrel roll and landed on the driver side!  Numbers 3, 4, and 5 were thrown from the truck and landed on the other side of the street.  They were shaken, but unharmed, thanks to their helmets and race suits.  Numbers 1 and 2 were also unharmed as they staggered out of the wreck.

To their surprise, they were only ten feet away from the finish line!

Just then, a "sput-sput-sput-sput" sound drove past them and over the finish line.  Joey had won the race.

As Joey stopped and did a victory dance next to his truck, A.J., supported by friends, walked over to the finish line.  The Kids Next Door did the same.  So did all of A.J.'s friends.

"Well," gasped Joey with delight.  His dance had made him breathless.  Joey took a breath and observed the wreckage down the road.  "So," said Joey, as he turned to everyone else.  "What now?"

"You won the race," said A.J.  "You tell us."

"Oh," said Joey.  He looked at everyone staring at him.  Joey looked at the Kids Next Door.  They were staring at him with varied expressions of apprehension. 

Joey sighed.  He turned to everyone else.  "These kids are tough.  Even if we stay here, they'll be here racing us."  An idea suddenly came to him.  "Y'know, my uncle owns a mud track about an hour's drive from here.  How about we make that our new hangout?"

"Well, why didn't you say so before?!" exclaimed A.J.  "A mud track is way better than this place!"  A.J.'s friends agreed.  "Will you show us where it is?"     

"If you let me come back," said Joey humbly.

"Uh, excuse me, Mr. A.J.?" interrupted Number Two, who walked up to the teen.  "I'd just like to say thanks for giving us the opportunity to race against you."

"I agree," said Number One.  "You are a most challenging guy to race against."

A.J.'s helmet stared at the Kids Next Door.  A.J. had never received such a nice compliment before…and from a group of kids!  Reaching up, A.J. grabbed the helmet and took it off.  As long, blonde hair fell down from A.J.'s head, she said, "Thanks.  If I were a guy, I'd be a lot less flattered."

The Kids Next Door were shocked.  "You…You're a girl???"

"Yep.  Amanda Jones, or A.J. for short.  I've been racing trucks with my friends since I learned how to drive.  Sorry I didn't tell you before." (If you read this story again, you'll notice I never gave any indications to A.J.'s gender.)

As the Kids Next Door took in this information, Joey asked again, "So, can I race with you guys again?"

"On one condition," said A.J.  "You get rid of that old clunker you call a truck and get behind the wheel of a truck with style."

"But…that truck is the only one I got!" cried Joey.

A.J. smiled.  "That's why I'm giving you my '96 low-rider."

Joey looked like he was about to faint.  "The…the green one with the added fenders?"

"Yeah," said A.J. with a shrug.  "It's outdated, and I've already got the '02 model, so why not?"

"Aw, thanks, A.J.!" exclaimed Joey.  He reached out and gave Amanda Jones a big kiss on the mouth.

"EEWWW!!!  GROSS!!" shouted the Kids Next Door with disgust.

A.J. and her friends used poles and their own power to flip the monster truck onto it's wheels.  It was damaged, but it could still be driven.    

"Thanks again, kids," said A.J.  She and Joey waved good-bye as the truck zoomed off down the street.  All the other trucks did the same.

"You know," said Number Four.  "Tonight was kinda fun!"

"Yeah, I'll say!" agreed Number Two.

"All those close calls and roaring engines!" exclaimed Number Two.

"And the wind rushing through your hair!" said Number Three.

"Right," said Number One, glancing up at his bald scalp.  "This was rather invigorating, wasn't it?"  He and his friends peered down the street at the toppled dump truck and the gas station, still going up in flames.  "Maybe we should hold these late-night races more often!"

At that moment a screech of sirens and flashing lights appeared on the horizon.  An army of police cars and fire trucks were coming down the road.

"Then again," said Number One quickly.  "It's always important to get a good night's sleep, right?"

"Right, uh-huh, definitely, yeah," muttered the other kids.

And so they ran back to their bedrooms before the cops could identify them.

The End           


End file.
